General Information

Http://www.shenet.org - Visit the Shenendehowa website for information from the Counseling Center. Everything from newsletters to the Program of Studies is available online for students and parents.

Report Card & Interim Distribution

Report cards and interim reports are distributed to students in homeroom on the dates indicated below. If students are not in homeroom, they must to go to homeroom the next day to pick up their reports. Homeroom teachers hold report cards and interims for absent students. The Counseling Center does NOT have extra copies of these reports for students who are absent from homeroom. Students requiring a copy of their report card for a club advisor or an athletic coach need to make a copy themselves. It is the student’s responsibility to be in homeroom to receive these and many other important communications throughout the school year.

Interims Distributed	December 21^st	March 11^th	May 17^th
Report Cards	February 11^th	April 28^th	July 1^st (mailed)

Tutoring Information for all Students

If your child is having difficulty with a course, there are some options for obtaining extra help.

A schedule of times during the school day when teachers may be available to provide extra help to students

can be obtained in the Counseling Center. Students should coordinate with teachers to meet during these times.

Beginning January 13^th, tutoring will be available in the Fridge daily Periods 1 through 9.
National Honor Society students offer free tutoring services after school Mondays & Wednesdays @ HSE.

(Students must complete a form in the Counseling Center to request NHS tutoring in a particular subject.)

Attend the Freshmen Homework Club on Mondays & Thursdays after school @ HSW.

Shenendehowa Senior Citizens Care Links provides free tutoring sessions on Tuesdays & Thursdays from

6:30 P.M. – 9:30 P.M. in Room 101 at @ High School East. Most math and science subjects are offered.

The district compiles a list of certified teachers who are available to tutor by private appointment for a fee.
Information regarding these tutoring services is available in the Counseling Center.

New Beginnings

As the new year begins, make some resolutions:

Complete all homework assignments.
Communicate your concerns to your teacher and request extra help if needed.
See your counselor to discuss any problems, questions, or concerns.
Give your best effort in everything you do!

Course Selection for 2010-2011

The course selection process for the 2010-2011 school year begins in January. A Program of Studies guide will be distributed to each student. Teacher recommendations will be mailed home in mid-January with a letter outlining the course selection process. It is crucial that students and parents take the time to review the course offerings described in the Program of Studies along with the teacher recommendations in order to select the most appropriate courses. Please pay attention to deadlines in the course selection/adjustment process.

Counselors will be meeting with students to select courses from mid-January through mid-March. Students should bring their copy of the Program of Studies to the scheduling meeting. Course selections will be based on current achievement, teacher recommendations, and graduation requirements. A copy of the student’s course selections will be mailed to parents in March for review. The last day to make any schedule changes for the 2010-2011 school year is April 1, 2010.

Annual Alumni Panel

This year the Counseling Center was pleased to offer a panel presentation of 2009 alumni representing a diverse selection of 2 and 4 year public and private college students. The panel discussion offered current seniors an opportunity to hear from recent alumni about the transition to college and academic expectations. The event was sponsored by the Counseling Center with refreshments generously provided by the High School PTSA.

Driver Education Program/Spring 2010

Registration forms for the spring session will be available January 11^th on the Shenendehowa website www.shenet.org/district/community services/communityed/DriverEdReg.htm, in the Counseling Center @ HSE, and at the Community Education Office @ HSW. The fee is $382. Registrations are accepted in the order that they are received with seniors given preference. All students must be 16 years of age by February 3^rdand have a valid NYS learner’s permit or driver’s license prior to the start of the program. A mandatory orientation will be held on February 3^rd at the HSE Little Theater from 3:30 – 5:00 P.M. Bell’s Driving School will be contacting registered students prior to orientation with their schedules. The registration deadline is Friday, January 29^th.

Summer Program & Job Information

There are many summer programs and workshops offered by colleges and other institutes. They range from a few days to two or more weeks. A Summer Program/Workshop folder that contains additional information on these programs is available in the Counseling Center. A Job Postings folder is also available in the Counseling Center.

VOTEC Trip for 10^th & 11^th Grade Students

Students interested in learning more about VOTEC programs will have an opportunity to tour the Capital Region Career & Technical School and visit one or two of the classes in session on Tuesday, February 9^th. Refer to the Program of Studies for further information on the various programs. Course guides are available in the Counseling Center. Students should listen to morning announcements for further details.

***SENIOR NEWS (Class of 2010)***

If you have not met with your counselor for your Senior Conference, please schedule an appointment as soon as possible.

As of 01/06/10 – 2,380 college application requests have been processed for seniors.

Deadlines

IMPORTANT: Remember to submit application materials/transcript requests at least fifteen school days prior to your college and/or scholarship deadlines.

College Instant Admission Days

The Counseling Center will be hosting Hudson Valley (February 3^rd) and Schenectady County Community Colleges (March 10^th)

"Instant Admission Days" at Shenendehowa. College admission counselors will meet with individual students, waive the $40 admission fee, and advise students of their acceptance status at the end of their interview. Any senior who is interested in taking advantage of this opportunity must notify Mrs. Flynn in the Counseling Center by the registration deadline: Friday, January 22^nd.

Mid-Year Grades

Students who need to have their mid-year grades sent to colleges must submit their college mid-year form or verbal request to Mrs. Keiper in the Counseling Center by Friday, February 12^th. Mid-year grades will be sent to colleges over the February break.

NCAA Clearinghouse

Seniors who plan to play a sport in college at the Division I or Division II level must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. To register, prospective student-athletes should access the registration materials by visiting the clearinghouse website at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net. From the home page, click on “Prospective Student-Athletes”. This will link the student-athlete to the necessary information.

REMINDER

Please submit copies of ALL decision letters (acceptance, denial, wait list) to Mrs. Flynn in the Counseling Center.

Scholarships

If you receive (AND ARE ACCEPTING) an academic or athletic scholarship, please submit a copy of your award letter to Mrs. Butera in the Counseling Center. These awards will be acknowledged in the graduation program. Seniors should pick up the Counseling Center Newsletters in homeroom and check the Scholarship Notebook in the Counseling Center periodically for national and local scholarship program information.

Financial Aid Workshop

A Financial Aid Workshop was held December 3^rd at Shenendehowa High School East. Beth Post-Lundquist, Director of Financial Aid at Skidmore College, presented an overview of the entire financial aid process to parents of juniors and seniors. Federal Aid Forms (FAFSA) are available either online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or by calling 1-800-433-3243.

Financial Aid & Scholarship Information

Parents and students should be wary of any service that charges a fee for scholarship searches. Stay away from businesses that guarantee scholarships - no one can guarantee scholarships. The Counseling Center has a collection of reference books for you to utilize during office hours to search for possible scholarships. The following websites may also help you with this search:

*FAFSA – Apply online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov *Fastweb – one of the fastest private searches

(Submit FAFSA asap after January 1^st) http://www.fastweb.com

*U.S. Education Department *The College Board

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/Students http://www.collegeboard.org

*“College is Possible” Coalition site *College Aid Awareness Network –

http:///www.collegeispossible.org free financial aid e-mail assistance from:

Toll free# (800) 433-3243 Ask the Expert via:finaid@nysfaaa.org

State University of New York is again hosting its Statewide Student Financial Aid Days on January 23^rd and February 27^th. Approximately 30 SUNY campuses across New York State will offer financial aid workshops and provide hands on assistance in completing the FAFSA Forms. Students may register online at www.suny.edu/studentevents or by calling 1-800-342-3811.

School & Community Awards for Seniors

In late March, seniors will receive an information packet in homeroom regarding the criteria for many of the awards that will be presented at Awards Night on May 27^th. While faculty and staff nominate students for many of the awards, seniors will also have the opportunity to nominate themselves for consideration. If a student is selected to receive an award, he or she will receive an invitation to attend the ceremony.

***JUNIOR NEWS (Class of 2011)***

Counselor Recommendation Questionnaire

Counselors will distribute the Counselor Recommendation Questionnaire to juniors during homeroom in March. Completed forms must be returned to the Counseling Center by June 1^st. Counselors utilize this information when writing senior recommendations for college and scholarship recommendations. Students must complete and return the Counselor Recommendation Questionnaire to Mrs. Bronson in the Counseling Center in order to schedule a senior conference next fall. Students should make a copy for themselves as the information is useful in completing college applications and writing resumes.

Junior Conferences

In the spring, counselors will meet individually with juniors to discuss topics such as course selection, graduation requirements, and post-secondary planning. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend the meetings.

Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test Results (PSAT)

PSAT results were distributed to students on December 16^th and 17^th. If your child has not yet collected his/her results, they are available in the Counseling Center. Parents and students should review the test results in order to better prepare for the SAT. Juniors should plan on taking the SAT on May 1^st and/or ACT on June 12^th. (Spring registration dates and deadlines are listed on the following page.)

SAT Prep Courses

Shenendehowa Community Education offers a SAT prep course to interested students taking the spring SAT exam. Information about the course is available in the spring brochure which is mailed to every household or on-line at www.shenet.org. Students interested in private SAT courses must contact the companies themselves.

Spring College Fair

On Thursday, March 25^th, the Counseling Center is hosting it’s first Spring College Fair for Juniors. During periods 1 and 2, students will have the opportunity to meet with college admission representatives to ask questions and explore future college opportunities. Early in March, information regarding sign up procedures will be provided to juniors during homeroom.

SPRING SEMESTER 2010 - COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM DATES

Test Test Date Registration Deadline Late Registration

SAT & SAT Subject Test January 23 December 15 December 30

ACT (no NYS test centers) February 6 January 5 January 15

SAT (Reasoning Only) March 13 February 4 February 18

ACT April 10 March 5 March 19

*SAT & SAT Subject Test May 1 March 25 April 8

SAT & SAT Subject Test June 5 April 29 May 13

*ACT June 12 May 7 May 21

*Offered at Shenendehowa CEEB Code #331-845 ACT Test Center #199690 SAT Test Center #33-328

Students may register for SAT tests Online @ www.collegeboard.com
Students may register for ACT tests online @ www.actstudent.org
LATE REGISTRATION REQUIRES EXTRA FEES
REGISTRATION MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE COUNSELING CENTER
Students are responsible for mailing registration packets by postmark deadlines

ATTENTION PARENTS OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

A student with a documented disability may be eligible to take college entrance examinations with testing accommodations. The testing services (SAT and ACT) require that students submit a Student Eligibility Form well in advance of registering for a college test. The testing services review the Eligibility Forms and inform students of their approved or denied request for accommodations. The Counseling Center will be mailing home a letter detailing this process to each eligible student and their parents in mid-January (juniors) and April (sophomores). Specific steps for students are as follows:

SAT: The SAT will be administered at Shenendehowa on May 1st. Students who need special testing accommodations can pick up the SAT Registration and Student Eligibility Forms from Mrs. Flynn in the Counseling Center. Completed forms, including test fee, must be returned to the Counseling Center eight weeks prior (by February 1^st) to the registration deadline. Both forms will then be mailed to the College Board by the Counseling Center. Students only need to apply for accommodations once throughout high school. Incomplete forms will not be accepted.

ACT: The ACT will be administered at Shenendehowa on June 12^th. Students who need special testing accommodations may pick up the ACT Registration and Student Eligibility Forms from Mrs. Flynn in the Counseling Center. Completed forms, including test fee, must be returned to the Counseling Center no later than eight weeks prior (by March 5^th) to the registration deadline. Both forms will then be mailed to ACT by the Counseling Center. ACT requires that students submit an Eligibility Form for each ACT test taken in high school. Incomplete forms will not be accepted.

PLEASE NOTE – School Based Testing

Some students’ testing accommodations require that they take college tests over a two day period only at their own school. Such accommodations include: 100% extended time, a reader, a scribe, and/or use of a computer. Students who need School-Based Testing should only register to take the tests on the dates listed below. Please be aware of these dates when registering.

SAT May and/or November Location: Shenendehowa

ACT June and/or October Location: Shenendehowa

* Students with Disabilities requiring testing modifications should pick up registration booklets and Student Eligibility Forms well in advance of registration deadlines. Remember: completed forms are due back at least EIGHT WEEKS prior to regular registration deadlines for the May SAT and the June ACT. If you have questions, please see Mrs. Flynn in the Counseling Center.

These deadlines are imposed by the Testing Agencies. Please mark your calendar NOW.

***SOPHOMORE NEWS (Class of 2012)***

Academic Programming

Early in the second semester, counselors will meet with their students to initiate the course selection process. For those students interested in attending the Capital Region Career & Technical School during their junior year, a tour will be scheduled in January. Interested students need to sign-up for the tour in the Counseling Center. Students are responsible for making up any missed work from their classes.

Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)

The PSAT will be administered at Shenendehowa in October 2010. Students requiring testing accommodations for this and other College Board tests must complete an eligibility form and return it to Mrs. Flynn in the Counseling Center by June 1^st, 2010. The Counseling Center will be mailing home a letter detailing this process to each eligible student and their parents in April. Eligibility forms are available from Mrs. Flynn in the Counseling Center.

***FRESHMEN NEWS (CLASS OF 2013)***

The Class of 2013 counselors have been meeting with students who are having academic difficulty based on their first quarter report cards. Academic support and suggestions have been discussed with the students. Some students have been encouraged to attend the Homework Club on a regular basis. Information has been distributed to students on how to access extra help. As part of the ninth grade program, counselors work with students to establish good study habits, time management and organizational skills. Students are encouraged to use their agendas to help them stay on top of their assignments, seek out their teacher for additional help, and utilize the extra help available in various ways, both in and out of school. Establishing these good habits now will assist students as they progress through more challenging courses next year, through graduation, and beyond.

Reminder to All Freshmen

During Regents week, ninth graders taking Earth Science Honors and Earth Science Regents courses will be taking a mid-term exam. This exam will be given on Tuesday, January 28^th at 8:00 A.M. Earth Science teachers will be providing more information to students in their classes. Earth Science mid-term exam review sessions are held every Wednesday after school in Room 39A. All students are welcome and encouraged to attend. Each review session is devoted to a particular topic. Review sessions are taught by Mrs. Scavo.

Course Selection Process

Counselors will be meeting with students during February “off lab” periods and Physical Science classes. During these meetings, students will receive information regarding making their course selections for next year using their teacher recommendations, current achievement, and graduation requirements. After these initial presentations, students will meet with their counselor to finalize their selections. A copy of the course selections will be mailed home the end of March. Parents are encouraged to check the High School Counseling Center website for updated selection information in January.

Freshman Workshops

Counselors went into Earth Science “off lab” periods and Physical Science classes earlier this year. Since it was around the first quarter interim, students were encouraged to assess where they were academically at that time and take appropriate action. Extra help opportunities were discussed and explored. Students were also shown a sample transcript. A class discussion was held as to what is actually contained on a Shenedehowa High School transcript and how it relates to graduation requirements. They also took a “quiz” to review important school information.